With reference to FIGS. 5-8 German Utility Patent No. 20 2004 006 410 U1 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference) discloses an automatic closing mechanism for drawer runners with a guide rail 12 which is to be fastened on a carcass wall CW of an item of furniture. The drawer D is arranged on a drawer rail 14 which is mounted so as to be displaceable relative to the guide rail 12. A movable catch component 24, which is prestressed in a bistable manner in two end positions which are spaced apart from one another in the direction of movement of the drawer by means of a spring arrangement with an elongated helical spring 40, is provided in a catch housing 22 on the guide rail or carcass rail 12. The catch component 24 has a receiving means 36 for an entrainment means 28 (FIG. 8) which is provided on the other rail 14. The entrainment means 28 moves into the receiving means 36 when approaching a closed position when there is a relative displacement of the rails and pivots the prestressed movable catch component 24, as a result of which the catch component 24 is unlocked from the associated end position. This results in the catch component 24 being moved into the other end position under the effect of the spring tension and the associated rail with drawer also being moved into the end position by means of the entrainment means 28 which is held in the receiving means, which provides the closed position of the drawer. A damping device 44, in which is movably arranged a damper element which communicates with the catch component 24 by means of transmission elements 36a, is provided in the catch housing 22.
When the drawer is opened, the catch component 24 is moved in the opening direction by means of the entrainment means 28 which is coupled into the catch component 24, as a result of which the helical spring 40 is tensioned until the catch component 24 is left in the end position locked by the entrainment means 28. The operation tensioning the spring calls for a not inconsiderable force to be applied by the user when opening the drawer.